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February 16 - April 20 Western Albemarle High School

www.lifejourneyva.com

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Table Of Contents

Introduction! ———————————————! 4!

Week 1 Jesus as Creator! ——————————! 6!

Week 2 Jesus as the Last Adam! ——-———-—! 14!

Week 3 Jesus as the Greater Sacrifice —-——-—! 22!

Week 4 Jesus as the Ark! ——————————! 29!

Week 5 Jesus as the Offspring of Abraham ——! 36!

Week 6 Jesus as the Final Offering ——————! 44!

Week 7 Jesus as Israel’s Head ———————! 50!

Week 8 Jesus as the Greater Joseph —————! 59!

Week 9 Jesus as the Passover Lamb —————! 66

Introduction

The Gospel According to Moses is much more than nine weeks. However, from February through April we are going to spend nine weeks seeing Jesus from creation through passover. In Luke 24, the resurrected Jesus opened the minds of His disciples, showing them everything in Moses and the Prophets (all the Old Testament) concerning Himself. What better way for us to end our 18-month journey through Jesus’ life in Mark than to look at very things He revealed about Himself in the Old Testament?!

! As a church, we expect to see more clearly than ever the mission and reality of Jesus as we look for Him from Creation through Passover! We pray you, like the disciples in Luke 24, will explode with revelation about the Christ and who you now are in Him.!

! Each of the nine weekly lessons is broken down into four sections. The images below set the sections apart. !

Getting Ready!!In the “Getting Ready” section we are simply taking a

few minutes to prepare our minds for the week’s lesson. We’re constantly bombarded with all sorts of things in life. Therefore, before jumping straight into the lesson, let’s take a couple of minutes to just breathe and let God’s love for us work its way deep into our lives!!

Glancing Back!!In the “Glancing Back” section, we will glance back at

the actual events as recorded by Moses in the Old Testament to make sure we have a solid grasp on the historical facts surrounding the event. In other words, before we see Jesus in these events, we need to make sure we are seeing what actually happened in the events.!

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Seeing Jesus!!In the “Seeing Jesus” section, we are going to lean

on the Holy Spirit for guidance as we hope to see just how Jesus fits into the details of these historic Old Testament events. Books upon books have been and can be written about these things, so we’ll do our best to see the big ideas.!

Looking Ahead!!In the “Looking Ahead” section, we want to focus on

applying the truth of what we’ve now seen about Jesus to our daily lives. Revelation is wonderful, but applying that revelation is beautiful!!

There will also be interactive elements: videos, songs, articles, etc. When you see this image, you’ll know to visit www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to find

the appropriate interactive element.!

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references used are from the English Standard Bible (ESV)

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1!!

Jesus as the Creator!Genesis 1-2!!!Getting Ready!

Have you ever considered that the very same person who hung on the cross, removing our sin from us, was the same person whose voice broke the silence

of eternity past and spoke the universe into existence? This is the same Jesus who loves us and gave himself for us! The power and might of his words are indescribable, yet he suffered and died for you.!

! As we get started with this nine week series, list out some of the ways that Jesus has already amazed you with his role in creation.!

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! Before we hop into today’s study, spend a couple of minutes praying that God would help you see further the mighty hand of the Lord who flung the stars into being, yet stretched that same hand out to be pierced in order to purchase you back from death. Let God show you just how much he loves you.!

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Glancing Back!

!Take a couple of minutes to read through all of Genesis one and two.!

! According to Genesis 1:1-2 what had already been created before God started day 1 of creation?!

1.____________________ 2.____________________!

3.____________________ 4.____________________!

! Does Genesis one and two tell us when these four things (Heaven, Earth, Water & Darkness) were created? Other than “in the beginning”, It doesn’t seem to, does it? However, other scriptures like Colossians one clearly reveal to us that all things were created by God. So while these four things don’t seem to have been created in the six days of creation, it is clear that God was the creator of them at some point in time before day one.!

! List out the progression of creation (even feel free to draw out the things being created if you’d like in the space provided):!

Day One: God created ! ___________________________!

Day Two: God created ! ___________________________!

Day Three: God created !___________________________!

Day Four: God created ! ___________________________

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Visit www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to read more about what is called “Historic

Creationism.”

Day Five: God created ___________________________!

Day Six: God created ____________________________!

Day Seven: God ________________________________!

If “Theistic Evolution” or the “Day Age” theories are correct, then it would be difficult for vegetation to develop apart from its source of life, the sun. The sun

wasn’t created until day four. So if each “day” is thousands or millions of years, then how can plants develop void of the sun? Photosynthesis requires sunlight! Learn more about photosynthesis, Theistic Evolution, and the Day Age Theory by going to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses.!

! Chapter two seems to be a magnifying glass set over day six of creation. In chapter one, Moses briefly lists the days and the things being created on each day; however, Genesis 2:5-25 is day six in detail. In fact, it isn’t even all of the details of day six—just the details surrounding the creation of Adam and Eve.!

! Write Genesis 2:7 here: !

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There’s a lot of debate regarding whether or not Moses is writing about literal 24-hour days or if each of these “days” could be long extended periods of time where evolution could fit. Without going too deeply into the topic, how does the order of creation, as described here by Moses, seem to require 24 hours per day and not thousands or even millions of years per “day”? Look particularly at the progression from day three to day four!

! Who was the source of Adam’s life? ___________!

! After seeing that none of the animals were a suitable companion for Adam, God provided a perfect companion for Adam with Eve. Did God create Eve out of dirt like he did with Adam? __________ He pulled Eve out of Adam’s _________ (2:21). What significance is there that God didn’t pull Eve out of Adam’s head or foot, but his side?!

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! Where was Eve before she was pulled out of Adam’s side? !

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! Eve was in Adam! God then pulled her out of Adam and formed her into a beautiful, perfect female companion for Adam. They were one (Eve was in Adam), but now they are two. The one became two!!

! Needless to say, Adam was really happy! In verse twenty-three he’s saying, “Finally a perfect companion for me!” God then creates and introduces the reality of marriage covenant in verse 24. These two individuals come together and unite as one, and the result is fruitful offspring: children to fill the garden and fill this new creation!!

!Seeing Jesus!

!According to Colossians 1:15-20, it was the person Jesus who did the work of creation. Certainly the entire Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, and God

the Holy Spirit) were involved and in agreement, but the fact �9

that Paul says “all things were created through him” means that Jesus was personally active and responsible for creation.!

! Colossians 1:16 says that all things were created not just by him and through him, but that all things were created

“for him.” In your own words, what does that mean? What does it mean if you create something “for you”?!

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! One of the big ideas we really need to see is that the creation of our universe was a way (not necessarily the only way) that Jesus displayed his unbelievable love and grace. The fact that Jesus created it “for himself” gives us the understanding that Jesus created this so that he could reveal to all that is created just how amazing he truly is.!

! We know that not everyone at Life Journey or in the family of God completely embraces “creationism” like Moses did and our elders do, but if creationism is true, that God created all that is as we know it today in six literal days, think of the power and sheer awesomeness of God. Think of the billions of light years that separate stars and the billions of galaxies that we know of. Yet also think of the 248 unique muscles in a caterpillar's head alone! What does it say about Jesus that he created things a big as billions of galaxies, yet as small as 248 unique muscles in a caterpillar’s head?!

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Go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to watch a powerful talk by Louie Giglio on the vastness of the universe and the power of Jesus holding it all together!

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! Seeing Jesus as the active agent in the creation of the universe helps us see Jesus as the active agent in the New Creation of you now in Christ.!

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Go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses and read the short blog by Jared Wilson called “New Creation.” We’ll then be able to see better how the creation of

the universe and the New Creation of you go so perfectly hand in hand!!

At your physical birth your mind and your body are alive but your heart is ________________________________.!

God’s Spirit was/is ________________ over your way and ___________________.!

Believing in Jesus means that God has breathed his ________ into you and has given you a new ____________.!

God separated this new ________ from the ____________.!

This new created life in me sprouts the very fruit of the _____________.!

I’m not the only one with this new creation in me, as numerous as the stars are there others who proclaim the good news of Light into the __________________.

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God has remade us into the image of his ____________. He has given us ___________________ over demons and hell.!

God sees what he has now created in us and says it is ______________________.!

Just like God on the seventh day of creation, we now __________________ from all our working and simply abide in him.!

! One of the clearest places we see Jesus in the creation account is in the covenant between Adam and Eve. This marriage covenant is a picture of our marriage covenant to Jesus himself. He is our groom and we his bride.!

! In the garden, Adam, Eve, and God were all _________. There was no sin; they were one. However, as we’ll see next week, when they disobeyed the one became ______________. Holy God was separated from sinful man. What was one is now two. Now there is no suitable companion for God. Nothing is holy as He, for sin has now entered into the human race; however, God had a plan already! He knew this would happen. In fact, he planned it. On the cross, He placed all our sins on Jesus to remove them from us. He then spoke the life within us into existence when we heard the good news and believed. Now the fullness of God has come into us to abide in us and us in him. The two have become _______________ and at last, there is a suitable companion, a bride for Christ!!

!Looking Ahead!

Write out the JourneyMarker from Sunday (visit www. l i fe journeyva.com/moses i f you can’ t remember!):!

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! How does seeing Jesus as the creator of the universe and the creator of your new life in him directly affect your life today? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Romans 4:17 says that God “gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” Before you heard and believed the good news about Jesus, your new life in Christ did not exist, but God has called it into being and he has given you this new life and placed it in you.!

! Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Go outside and marvel at the handiwork of God! Everything you see, He created. Behold the beauty of His creation. As you do, consider this: You have been created new, in Christ, by the same God who created everything you see! Your new life in Christ is His handiwork. !

! He has breathed life in you if you believe in Jesus. You are now created in the image of God in true holiness and righteousness (Ephesians 4:24). God the Father is now your Father! You are his child! You are now united to Him as one! Believe this good news and watch His fruit be manifest through you!!

! He has planted life in us, and now we rest in his work and simply trust his good news for us. As we do, he produces his life through us!

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Jesus as the Last Adam!Genesis 3!!

Getting Ready!

!Perhaps the single-largest driving force of all humanity is the pursuit of a pure utopian society, of an existence where nothing could ever be improved

upon, as everything would already be perfect. It’s difficult to believe from within our own hectic life, but such a place existed once, known as the Garden of Eden. !!! Even though it wasn’t absolutely care free (after all, the permanency of their utopia was still contingent upon their perfect obedience), Adam and Eve had the luxury of enjoying unhindered fellowship and access to God, and they also had a mission in life—take everything growing in the Garden and spread it worldwide! There was no stress, no fuss, and no worry. They truly had it made. What are some of the biggest stressors in your life that Adam and Eve would have never needed to deal with? !________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!!! Before we go further into this week’s study, spend a few minutes praying that God would help you lay aside the never-ending list of tasks that are vying even now for your attention. Pray that He would help you see that Jesus, as the “last Adam,” has come to bring new life to His people!!

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Glancing Back!

!Take a few moments now to read through Genesis three.!

! According to Genesis 3:1, did the serpent out-right lie to Eve? What was his strategy?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!! How did Eve’s response differ from what she’d actually been told by Adam as relayed to him from God in Genesis 2:16-17?!

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! Only after Eve’s response did the serpent outright lie to her, telling her, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will

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God’s curse upon the serpent included a lifetime of crawling in the dirt and being feared, and ultimately, destruction by Jesus. These curses were directed in part at Satan as well as at the serpent he had used.

Though the name “Satan” appears nowhere in Genesis three, God’s Word describes Satan as a serpent in the book of Revelation, and we know that Jesus’ defeat of was over Satan, not simply over a serpent.

be like God, knowing good and evil.” The temptation that befell Eve was the idea of becoming equal to God or gaining the knowledge of God, apart from God. There is also the idea in here that Eve would have been able to determine (again, apart from God) what is good or evil. In other words, Eve could have the moral power of God without having God Himself. !

! !! Eve was not the only one to violate God’s command that day. According to Genesis 3:6, where was Adam when Eve ate the fruit? What did he do in response?!________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!!! Immediately upon eating the fruit, what happened?!________________________________________________________________________________________________!

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After Eve saw that “the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,” she ate of it. Are there parallels between this process and 1 John 2:15-17?

God’s curses upon Adam and Eve included labor pains, difficultly in raising children, marital conflict, and great difficulty in cultivating food from the ground. These curses impact us today as we share

this experience!

! Genesis 3:15 is the protoevangelium, or “First Gospel.” Write out Genesis 3:15 here:!________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!!! We see in Genesis 3:20 that Adam named his wife “Eve” because she was the mother of all living. How was this a demonstration of Adam’s faith in God’s promise to reverse the Fall of mankind? !

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If the “seed” of Eve is Jesus, who came to end our pathetic attempts at works-based righteousness, then what is the “seed” of Satan?!

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If man had never fallen there would have been no opportunity of showing divine mercy. But by permitting evil, mysterious as it seems, God's works of grace, mercy, and wisdom in saving sinners have been wonderfully manifested to all his creatures. The redeeming of the Church…is the means of “showing to principalities and powers the manifold wisdom of God” (Eph. 3:10). Without the Fall we should have known nothing of the Cross and the Gospel. - John Ryle

! How does God cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve?!

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!Seeing Jesus!

!According to Genesis 2:17, God promised Adam that “in the day that you eat of [the tree] you shall surely die;” however, Adam and Eve continued to live long

after their Fall. Was God wrong or is there a deeper element to His promise? Check out Ephesians 2:1-10 for some amazing insight here!!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!! In what way does Paul tell us in Romans 5:12 that Adam’s sin affected the entirety of the human race?!

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! In 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Paul presents the idea that as Adam was the first man (and origin of the human race), Jesus is the last Adam (which simply means “man”), and thus the origin of the new creation of his people. What are some similarities between Adam and Jesus?!

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! What are the key differences?!

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! The Messiah was prophesied to “bruise the head” of Satan, or inflict a mortal blow. Satan, on the other hand, was predicted to wound Jesus. How were both of these prophesies fulfilled this at the Cross? !!________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! According to Hebrews 7:27 and 10:12-14, what else is left for Jesus to do to remedy the Fall of man?

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Visit www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to learn why exactly we’re held responsible for Adam’s sin.

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!Looking Ahead!

!Write out the JourneyMarker from Sunday (visit www. l i fe journeyva.com/moses i f you can’ t remember!): !

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! We see in Genesis that God blocked access to the Tree of Life in the Garden, yet a Tree of Life is mentioned by John in the book of Revelation as a part of Heaven. Had Adam and Eve been able to live forever, they would have done so separated from their Creator. Praise God that in Heaven, we’ll enjoy eternity reunited with the One who made us and redeemed us!!

! Upon our physical birth, we are “in Adam” and therefore spiritually dead and deserving of God’s wrath. Because of our inability to fix ourselves, Jesus came to purchase a Bride from the slave market of sin, with the result that now there is NO (read it—NO!) condemnation now for those of us who are now “in Christ” through the new birth!!

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Adam’s relationship with God was dependent upon his own faithfulness and obedience. Our relationship with God isn’t determined by what we can do but by what Jesus has already done for us!

! When we receive new spiritual life from God upon our conversion, God no longer relates to us as though we’re still in Adam. Our sins are no longer held against us, which is remarkable. God says they’re as far from us as the east is from the west. As long as we remain in Adam (unconverted and hostile to God), judgment remains on us. But for those of us in Christ, we are alive with nothing ahead of us but the eternal enjoyment of God’s presence in a way that makes the Garden of Eden pale in comparison! !

! Is this Good News worth sharing? Ask God now for an opportunity this week to share the love of God with someone in your life.

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3!Jesus as the Greater Sacrifice!

Genesis 4!!Getting Ready!

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Much of our life is spent running from one thing to the other. Our schedules get jam packed, and we don’t even realize it! Ever find yourself saying, “I’m running

late, will be there in 15 minutes”? It might be because we try to jam way too much into our limited 24-hour window called “day.” Even right now, you may be thinking, “I’ve got to hurry up and get this thing ‘done’ so I get everything else done that I need to do.”!!! Sure there are things we have to do! But do you ever find yourself missing out on the joy of life because you’re constantly sprinting through life? If not, then good! If so, then take a second (even in you don’t have one to spare) and just breathe! Relax! Slow down for just a few minutes right now. Ask God to clear your mind of anything that may distract you from seeing Jesus for who he really is today. !

! Today’s lesson is going to deal with how the works of our flesh are not enough. We must have the righteous obedience of another! It will be hard to see this if your mind is racing about all the things your hands have to do today! If a stray thought comes in your mind about something needing to be done today, pause, breathe, and reassure yourself that you can work on that afterwards! As En Vogue

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Go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to watch a short clip entitled “Shh…Be Still and Know That I am God.”

sang back in the early ’90s, “Free your mind and the rest will follow!”!!! The beauty of grace, however, is that it is so powerful that it can cut through all the distractions of this world and do the work in you it desires to do!!!!

Glancing Back!! !

Take a minute and read through Genesis four where we learn of the interactions between Cain and Abel. Then fill in the blanks below.!!

The first born son, Cain, was a worker of the ____________. !!The second born son, Abel, was a keeper of the _________.!!The time came to bring an offering to the Lord, and Cain offered the ____________ of the ground (a picture of his own creation), while Abel offered one of his _____________ (a picture of the life of someone else).!!Abel’s sacrifice wasn’t just one of his flock, but it was his most prized! It was the _______-born.!!The Lord had regard for ___________’s offering but He had no regard for ___________’s offering.!!Cain was discouraged and his face _________________. !!! God encouraged Cain by saying in verse seven, “If you would do well, that is if you would just see that you can’t produce enough from your own hand to please me and trust in the life of someone else, your face would be lifted back up!” But sin was ready and waiting to make its move. Isn’t it

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interesting that God looks at sin as a “thing” when He says, “It is ______________ at the door. Its desire is for you” (v.7).!!! Cain allowed sin to control him and he ____________ his brother. Cain is pictured as a man completely humiliated at the thought that he couldn’t please God with his own works. Instead of “doing well” and trusting in the life of something else like Abel, Cain allowed sin to rule in him as he murdered his own ________________.!!! In verses 11 and 12, what does God’s punishment for Cain include?!________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!!! The typical response is only “become a fugitive and wander the land.” But God also “punishes” Cain by withholding fruit from the ground (v. 12). The very thing that Cain had put his whole hope in was now removed from him.!

! Cain is worried for his life! In verses 13-14, Cain tells God that he’s not going to survive the punishment. Cain isn’t going to be able to eat because the land won’t give him any crop, and he may be killed himself. God has graciously removed from Cain everything that Cain has grown accustomed to “leaning on” and the only thing left for Cain to lean on is God himself. Read verses 15-16 again. What does God do to protect and provide for Cain? !________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

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Do you notice how Cain is suddenly opposed to murder when it’s his own neck on the line?

! God’s punishment was gracious as He removed Cain’s reliance on the land and forced him to trust in God for his security and safety.!

!Seeing Jesus!!

Read Hebrews 11:4. What was the basis of Abel’s “more acceptable sacrifice”?!

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! Usually “faith” is believing in something promised. Think back to Genesis three and how God killed an animal and used the skins of the animal to cover Adam and Eve’s shame, and it being a foreshadowing of Christ. Do you think that shaped Abel’s faith and then his sacrifice?!

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! Abel seemed to have picked up on the fact that human effort to cover up sin was pointless. He learned how his parents had tried by making their own fig leaf coverings and God took the life of something else to cover them up. !

! Look at Cain’s sacrifice. It was the fruit of the ground. After the fall, God told Adam that he would work the ground,

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Visit www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to see some famous “Cain and Abel” artwork by Novelli, Tintoretto, Bouguereau, and others.

and it would be very hard. There would be sweat, blood, pain, and agony. Cain seems to have spent his entire life working very hard to produce crops with his own hands. His blood, sweat, and tears have gone into producing a crop that he thinks is worthy of God’s approval; however, God wasn’t looking for man to offer the works of his own hands to please Him. The only thing that pleases God is faith (Hebrews 11:6). !

! What Cain does is a perfect picture of how we try and try our best to satisfy God by things we do; however, the only thing that can satisfy God is the life of His Son. !

! Just as the religious Pharisees of Jesus’ day tried and tried to satisfy God with what they did with the Law of Moses, Cain tried to satisfy God with his own works.!

! Read Colossians 1:15 and Genesis 4:4. What is the striking similarity between God’s sacrifice for our sin and Abel’s sacrifice?!

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! How is Jesus is our better sacrifice?!

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Cain’s hope seemed to be in what he had created whereas Abel’s hope seemed to be in the life of

another.

! Like Able’s sheep, Jesus is the hero of our redemption, not our faith in Him. Yes, we must have faith in Jesus, but apart from Jesus perfectly satisfying the Father’s wrath against our sin, we would be toast! Our faith is only as good as the object it is in. Cain’s faith was in his own works. Abel’s faith was in the life of something else. Our faith must be in the life of Someone else: Jesus!!

!Looking Ahead!

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Write out the JourneyMarker from Sunday (visit www. l i fe journeyva.com/moses i f you can’ t remember!): !

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! List out the things that, like Cain, you take great pride in and can be tempting to trust in for your security and hope. !

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And each drop (of Jesus’ blood) seems to cry also as it falls, "It is finished: I have made an end of sin, I have brought in everlasting righteousness." Oh! Sweet, sweet language of the dropping of the blood of Christ. It speaketh (even) better things than that of Abel. !

- C.H. Spurgeon

! Ask God to remind you today and every day that these things, while probably really great things, will never improve your union with God. The perfect work of Jesus has given you perfect union already and nothing can change that—for the better or for the worse!!

! What does approaching God like Abel look like for us today? !

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! Hebrews 10:1-18 teaches that Jesus’ sacrifice was done once and only once. In that one sacrifice all the sins placed on Jesus were totally removed, and there is no further offering for sin. So we continually cling to the completed work of Jesus that was done some 2000 years ago. Every time we sin, we need to do nothing other than remember the truth that Jesus has bore all our sins and has removed them forever from our account.!

! If we think we must do anything in order for God to be pleased with us, then we are approaching him like Cain, with pride and arrogance. We must cling to the perfect, righteous, obedient life of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world!

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Jesus as the Ark!Genesis 6-9!!!Getting Ready!

!As we saw with the tragedy of Cain and Abel, it did not take long after the Fall before sin permeated the entire human race. In fact, just a few short chapters

later, we find that mankind as a whole is rife with evil. According to God, “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”!!! While it can be debated that the human race is being graciously withheld from reacquiring that level of depravity, it doesn’t take long for us to see that violence and sin still permeate our society. Can you recall headlines from the news in the last week that confirm this? !

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! Before we go further into this week’s study, spend a few minutes praying that God would reawaken you to His grace. Express your gratitude to Him in graciously preventing our own society from being as evil as it could be. !!! !

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Glancing Back!!!Take a few moments now to read Genesis six through nine. !!

! According to Genesis 6:7, God was ___________ that He had made human and animal life.!

! !! God gave explicit instructions to Noah regarding the dimensions of this massive vessel. Measuring roughly 450 feet long by 75 feet long, it was almost as tall as a five story building. Amazingly, this was the largest boat ever built prior to 1858- and it set the standard for the 6:1 length/width ratio used by ship builders today! What does this tell you about God?!

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! God’s instructions to Noah included taking pairs (a male and female) of all land animals and birds onto the ark, according to their kind. What does “kind” mean?!

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Surprisingly, there is an exception to God’s displeasure. Read Genesis 6:7-9 and determine in which order the following happened: A) Noah walked with God, B) Noah found favor with God, and C) God was sorry He had made man. What implications does the proper order hold for us?

Why do you think God issued a 120-year warning against His rebellious creation?

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!! What are a couple reasons why God also had Noah take seven pairs of all clean animals taken onto the Ark? !________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! According to Genesis 7:11-12, where did the flood waters come from? ______________________________!

!! After leaving the ark, what were God’s instructions for Noah and his family? !

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Could all the animals have really fit on the ark? Go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to find out!

Go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to watch an awesome video that demonstrates the transforming power of water!

! According to Genesis 9:8-17, what were the terms of the covenant God made with Noah (known as the Noahic Covenant)? !

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! What was Noah’s responsibility in keeping this covenant? !

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! What was God’s sign that He would be faithful to keep this covenant?!

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Do you think that this sign by God could have been observed prior to the flood? Why or why not?

God promised never to send another flood like Noah's Flood (9:11, 15), but there have been many local floods, even regional floods, since Noah's Flood. If Noah's Flood was only a local flood, then God lied to us. Likewise, there was no need for Noah to build an ark for his survival for he had many years' warning (6:3).!

- John Morris

Seeing Jesus!

! !God’s wrath against the sinfulness of mankind was temporarily displayed in the Flood, but His wrath was not fully and truly expiated against His rebellious

creation. But as God did with Noah, He graciously revealed the means of rescue. But it wasn’t a boat this time; it was a Person! And as God has revealed the design of Noah’s rescue prior to the ark, through His prophets the word spread that a Rescuer was coming who would ultimately save His people. !

!The Ark and Jesus!

! According to Ephesians 1:13-14, how is Jesus like ark as a whole?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!!! According to John 14:6, how is Jesus like the ark’s door?!

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! According to Hebrews 12:1-2, how is Jesus like the ark’s window?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!! According to John 3:36, how is Jesus like the rainbow? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!! What other parallels/similarities have you discovered? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!! What are the key differences between the way God rescued Noah’s family through a boat and the way He rescued us through His Son?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

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Because of the parallels that Peter draws between the ark and baptism, could it be argued that baptism saves us? Go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses for the answer!

Looking Ahead!!

Write out the JourneyMarker from Sunday (visit www. l i fe journeyva.com/moses i f you can’ t remember!) !

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!! !

! What does it mean for us that God has promised to never again flood the earth? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!! !

! Noah was subjected to the ridicule that comes with being a follower of God. We’ll not avoid this, either. What can we learn from Noah’s experience that will help us remain resolute in our own journey as Christ-followers?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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For a deeper look at the grace within the story of Noah and its ability to transform our lives, go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses and read a short article by Tullian Tchividjian!

5!!

Jesus as the Offspring of Abraham!Genesis 15-21!!!Getting Ready!

!This week’s look into the Gospel according to Moses is one of the most powerful pictures of Jesus we’ve seen yet. The power comes from the clarity. The

Apostle Paul makes it crystal clear how Jesus is the seed of Abraham and what it means in Galatians; however, while it is very powerful, it is very challenging. !

! Before we jump into the lesson, let’s spend a few minutes asking the Spirit of God to illuminate His truth to you. Read John 16:13. The Holy Spirit will guide you in all __________. Ask Him to do so now!!

! At the end of your life, would you be happy if you could look back and see that every single piece of it was perfectly planned and orchestrated by God to glorify Himself? That seems to be exactly what happened with Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Isaac, and Ishmael. While, on the surface it sounds crazy, Paul tells us that their lives were allegories to show the purpose and plan of God.!

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If you’d like you can see an interview with Gary Oliver (the actor who played Abraham in “The Bible Series” that came on the History Channel last year), go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses for the link!

! If we can see Jesus as the true Seed of Abraham, our understanding of who we now are in Him and how we mature in Him will be revolutionized!!

!Glancing Back!

!

We are first introduced to Abram in Genesis 11:27. “Ab” in Hebrew means “father.” “Ram” means “exalted or great.” So Abram literally means “exalted

father.” That’s a pretty awesome name! But there’s a problem. Read Genesis 11:30 and write the glaring problem below:!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Sarai was Abram’s wife. It’s hard to be an “exalted father” if you’re unable to produce a child with your wife!!

! Read Gen 12:1-4. God chooses Abram to be the beginning of a great nation! How old was Abram when God called him to become the father of a new nation? !

________________________________________________!

! We encourage you to continue reading the rest of Genesis 12 and 13 to see how Abram ends up in Canaan!!

! In Genesis 13:14-17, God reiterates His promise with Abram. God says Abram’s offspring will be as numerous as

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Does it make any reasonable sense that God would choose a old man and wife who are unable to have kids to start a new nation?

the ______________________. How many children does the “Exalted Father” have now? _________!

! By the time we get to Genesis 15, it seems several years have passed, and Abram still has no children and seems to doubt God’s promise and plan. While it made no sense to Abram, who is old and married to a wife who is old and unable to have children, he believed God and it was credited to him as ______________________ (v. 6). Abram was now righteous in God’s sight because he ___________ God. It made no sense, but he trusted.!

! Now read Genesis 16. Abram and Sarai seek to “speed up” God’s promise! If this promise is going to happen they are going to have to “help God out” some. In a sentence or two, what was Abram and Sarai’s plan for “helping God out”?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Did it work (did Hagar have a child)? Yes! But is this the way God planned it to happen? No! What we see happening is that God made a promise that Abram & Sarai will have a son, yet they were physically unable to have a child. So Abram takes it upon himself to produce his own offspring. !

! Now read Genesis 17. In verses 1-14, God gives Abram a sign. It is called ______________. This cutting away of the foreskin flesh was a picture to Abram that he need not rely upon his flesh in any way to see the promises of God become reality.!

! In 17:15-27 God clarifies his promise to Abram and Sarai. God changes their names! Now instead of Abram and Sarai, their names are ___________ and _________. Abram means “exalted father,” yet Abram had “zero”

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children. Now “Abraham” means “father of many nations”. Yet he still had no children.!

! In verse 17, what does Abraham do when God tells him of Isaac’s coming? ___________________________ We’d probably laugh too! Abraham is ___________ years old, and Sarah is ____________ years old (v. 17).!

! Feel free to read chapters 18-20, but be sure to read Genesis 21:1-7. What happens? The impossible happens! There is no way that the physical bodies of Abraham and Sarah could have done this. This is impossible. It was a promise of God. Like walking on water or giving sight to the blind, it was a miracle.!

!Seeing Jesus!

In the New Testament, after Jesus’ resurrection, Paul writes to a group of churches in present day Turkey. They believed the promise of God regarding Jesus,

so they were Christians, but they had some people teaching them that, like with Abram, they needed to “help God out” by using their flesh to bring about the promise of God in their lives. Just like Abram and Sarai, these Christians were turning to their own flesh and will power to try to please God with their works. But Paul is quick to remind them that it doesn’t work that way!!

! Galatians 3:16 says “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to

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Read Galatians three. Can you pick up on the tension between Paul and those who believe Christians are to turn to their own flesh to try to improve on the promise of God?

your offspring,’ who is __________.” Jesus is the promised seed of Abraham! !

! Let’s examine what this ultimately means! Read Galatians 4:21-31. Paul is being as direct as you can imagine to those who are trying to improve upon the perfect promise of Jesus.!

! According to vs. 22, Abraham had _________ sons. Who is the “slave woman” that mothered one of the sons? _________ Who is the “free woman” that mothered the other? ____________!

! What does it mean in vs. 23 that the son (Ishmael) of the slave woman (Hagar) was born “according to the flesh”? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Simply put, there was no supernatural miracle that occurred when Abram impregnated Hagar. Abram took matters in to his own hands to produce offspring with Hagar. He was not trusting in God’s promise but in his own ability to perform.!

! What does it mean in verse 23 that son (Isaac) of the free woman (Sarah) was “born through promise”?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! It was physically impossible for Sarah to have a child. Her flesh was too weak. It was only done through God’s promise.!

! Paul tells us the lives of these two women (Hagar and Sarah) actually are allegorical for the two covenants. Hagar

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is allegorical for the covenant from _________ ________. Mount Sinai is another way of saying “the law” as Sinai is where God gave Moses the law. Sarah is allegorical for the covenant from _________ _________. Present Jerusalem is another way of saying “from Heaven” or “from God.”!

! Hagar is in __________ with her children. This means that anyone who is putting his hope and focus in improving upon Jesus’ work for him is actually in slavery. But those who trust only in Jesus are children not of a slavery (the law), but are children from ________________ above and “she” is our mother.!

! Paul reminds us that if we trust in Jesus, we are not children of slavery to the law but children of freedom that is found in Christ. Paul says to cast ________, the slave woman (Hagar who is a picture of the law), and her __________ (Ishmael who is a picture of the works of the flesh). We are to rest in Christ as he is the promised seed of Abraham!!

!Looking Ahead!

!

Write out the JourneyMarker from Sunday (visit www. l i fe journeyva.com/moses i f you can’ t remember!): !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! The promised offspring (Jesus) of Abraham came by God’s miraculous power not by the works of Abraham’s flesh.!

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! In 2 Cor 3:18, Paul says that if we’d actually see ourselves for who we now are in Christ, the very glory of God, we would be outwardly transformed into that same image one degree at a time.!

! That is a promise that is hard to believe…perhaps harder to believe than a very old woman having a child. So we tend to take it upon ourselves to try to speed it up by focusing on things like the law (usually the Ten Commandments), or desired moralistic behaviors and work with our flesh to achieve those “standards” to which we subscribe.!

! After a while, our focus in not on the perfect promised seed of Jesus in us, but rather on what we can do with our flesh to improve ourselves. Paul plainly says to “cast that sort of thinking off.”!

! As we see the difference between putting confidence in our flesh vs. putting confidence in Jesus, what are some areas in your life that you continue to try to manage on your own in the power of your flesh? It may be simple behavioral issues, thinking patterns, or even addictions. Feel free to answer privately if you don’t want to write them down: !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! In your own words, why do you think it’s up to you to see these behaviors change? Why is it so hard to trust God that he has freed you from them and as you rest in Him you will experience that freedom? !

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Isn’t it so tempting to try to “speed up” God’s promise in our lives?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Sometimes the root of our incessant drive to try to “do better” through trying harder and working more to improve our behavior by the power for our flesh is because we’ve yet to come to grips with God’s perfect acceptance of us in Christ. We see our failures and think He’s now displeased and upset with us. !

! Remember the cross! How much wrath of God remains against your sin? NONE! All of His wrath was exhausted at the cross. Jesus endured wrath due you so that you could receive perfect union and fellowship with God forever!!

! Spend some time now thanking God for the promised Seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ! Thank God for the rest you have in Christ—resting from all your works because you are in the Promised One!

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God turned His back on His own Son on the cross so that He would never turn His back on you.!

- Craig Kompelien

6!!

Jesus as the Final Offering!Genesis 22!!!

Getting Ready!!

God’s redemptive plan is now in full swing as we find Him making a covenant with Abram (shortly thereafter known as Abraham!) that is now known as

the Abrahamic Covenant. !

! This covenant is first alluded to in Genesis 12:2 when God told Abram to leave home and go where God directed him. God said, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”!

! In chapter fifteen God reveals that part of His blessings upon Abraham includes having an innumerable amount of offspring. This was hard for Abraham to believe, given that he was over 70 years old! Though Abraham’s faith wasn’t perfect, his God was, and as we continue our walk through the Gospel According to Moses, we find Abraham arriving at a pivotal point in his walk with God. !

! At what season/event in your life did you find it the hardest to trust God with your life or that of your family’s? How did it turn out for you in the end, if it’s ended for you? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Glancing Back!

Take a few moments now to read Genesis chapter 22.!

! In Genesis 22:2, we find Abraham being asked by God to take his son Isaac and offer him to God as a sacrifice. What do you believe Abraham may have thought in response to this request? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! According to verse four, how long did Abraham’s party travel towards the place of sacrifice? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Isaac was more than strong enough to overpower Abraham and refuse to be offered up to God, yet he willingly

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Before we go further into this week’s study, go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses and watch the lesson six video entitled

“The Sacrifice of Isaac.” Spend a few minutes praying that God would strengthen your faith in the midst of life’s difficulties. Express your gratitude to Him for His willingness to sacrifice His only son on behalf of us.

While Scripture is unclear as to Isaac’s age, we know he was at least old enough to hike the mountain and carry the wood needed for the altar. Some theologians believe he was 33!

allowed himself to be bound and placed up the altar. What do you think was going through his mind during this? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Let’s face it. In our journey thus far, we’ve seen God say and do some things that we would judge to be morally wrong in today’s culture. Does God have the right to determine what is and isn’t moral? Why or why not?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Was it necessary for God to put Abraham to the test to know how the outcome would have been? If not, why do you think God put Abraham through this sort of emotional torment? What can be learned about God the Father through this ordeal? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Having shown Abraham how faithful to God he truly was, God reaffirmed the promise that He had made to bless all the nations through Abraham’s offspring. !

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This is one of many stories in the Bible that contains violent elements. What’s the best way to communicate Biblical truths to our

children that come with violent content? You’re welcome to go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to see why and how we use the Gospel Project for Kids curriculum for our JourneyKids!

! This moment in history, as we see the raw emotion of a man leading his own son to be offered up to God, finds its conclusion some 1,500 years later as it’s played out between God the Father and God the Son. !

!Seeing Jesus!

!Scripture is clear that in order for sins to be forgiven, a suitable sacrifice must be made to satisfy the justice of a holy God. According to Hebrews 10:4, is

the sacrifice of a slain animal an adequate substitution for man? ________ Why or why not? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Jesus willingly allowed Himself to be led by His Father and let himself be taken by the angry mob that final night in the Garden. Like Isaac, the wood was placed upon His own back to be used for His sacrifice. Like Isaac, Jesus trudged along towards Calvary, knowing that He was to be the slain offering.!!! Abraham knew that God was faithful to provide a lamb for the burnt offering, and sure enough one was provided. How do you think Abraham felt when he saw the ram in the thicket to be used as a sacrifice?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! In that same way, we, who needed a spotless Lamb to be offered on our behalf, were provided one in the Person of Jesus Christ. His very name means “salvation,” and in

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Matthew 1:21 Joseph was told to name Him that because “he would save His people from their sin.”!!! The father’s hand that was stayed in Abraham’s day plunged down at the cross, and the Son of God bore the full wrath of God on behalf of His own people, securing for them peace with God and eternal life in His presence. God’s promise to bless all nations through Abraham’s offspring found their fulfillment as the blood of Jesus purchased the salvation of men and women from every “tribe and people and language” (see Revelation 7:9-12).!

! According to Hebrews 10:11-14, what sacrifice is still needed to make things currently right between us and God?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! What does it mean for us that Christ has “sat down at the right hand of God”?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Abraham named the place of sacrifice “the Lord will Provide.” This piece of earth was but a stone’s throw from where Jesus would be provided as the Lamb of God some

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God saw Abraham’s sacrifice and said, “Now I know that you love me, because you did not withhold your only son from me.” But how much more can we look at his sacrifice on the cross and say to God, “Now we know that you love us. For you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love, from us.”!

-Tim Keller

1,500 years later. What an amazing foreshadowing of the Gospel of Jesus!!!!

Looking Ahead!

Write out the JourneyMarker from Sunday (visit www. l i fe journeyva.com/moses i f you can’ t remember!): !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Why do you think we so easily forget that Jesus has already made us right before God? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Read Romans 12:1. According to Paul, what is our response (i.e, “worship”) to God in view of His grace? What does this mean for you? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Before ending this session, pray that God would grant you the opportunity this week to actively express your gratitude for extending grace to you through the work of His own Son. Thank Him that He relates to you through what Jesus has done for you, and not what you can meagerly attempt to do for yourself!

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7!!

Jesus as Israel’s Head!Genesis 25-35!!!Getting Ready!

!

Hopefully we are really starting to see some of what the two disciples saw and understood as they were walking to Emmaus with Jesus! What sort of

thoughts do you think filled those two disciples minds that are likely filling your mind now about Jesus?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! As we get ready to look at “Jesus as Israel,” spend some time now asking God to show you more about who you are in Christ. If you don’t yet trust in Christ, ask Him to show you who you would be if you were in Christ. !

! One of the first things that we think of is that we are “forgiven”! And that is more true than we will ever know! This is a great starting point that many, if not most, Christians don’t even fully believe. Yes, we are forgiven, but if we trust in Jesus, we are much more! We are alive! We are righteous! We are sanctified! We are beloved and so much more. !

!!

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!

!

Glancing Back!

Read Genesis 25:19-27 and list some of the things that were quite peculiar about Esau and Jacob’s birth:!

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! “Esau” even means “hairy” or “rough!” “Jacob” literally means “leg-puller.” Two times in Jacob and Esau’s life Jacob (leg-puller) deceives his brother Esau—once in 25:29-34 and a huge one in Genesis 27. This may be the reason we ask someone, “Are you pulling my leg?” when we aren’t sure if they’re serious or playfully deceiving us.

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As you pray and meditate on who you now are in Christ, we’d love for you to go to www.lifejourneyva.com/moses to watch and listen to the powerful music video of Shane

& Shane’s song, “This is Who I Am.”

But Jacob wasn’t playfully deceiving Esau in Genesis 27. He outright deceived his father Isaac and his brother and stole the blessing of Isaac from Esau.

We encourage you to read Genesis 25-35 on your own to get the full account of Jacob and Esau’s life!

! In Genesis 28:1-5 we see Isaac specifically passing the promise God gave Abraham to Abraham’s grandson Jacob. This blessing was not for Esau, but for Jacob. Though he was a “leg-pulling deceiver,” God was going to use him to be a blessing to the entire world through his offspring.!

! In Genesis 28:10-22 we read about the specific promise that God himself now gives Jacob. When you read verses 13-15 you can see how the specific promises to Abram back as early as Genesis 12 are being carried on through Jacob.!

! In a sense Jacob has been running from Esau his whole adult life, and the time comes in chapters 32-33 for Jacob and Esau to reunite. But before they do, Jacob has a long night. Read Genesis 32:22-32. The specific details and purpose of this wrestling between God and Jacob seem fuzzy, but let’s make sure we see what’s happening.!

! God touched Jacob’s ____________ and gave him a permanent limp that forever reminded him of that night.!

! God changed Jacob’s name from ‘“leg-pulling deceiver” to ____________ (vs. 28), which means “prevails with God.” !

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Genesis 29-30 reveals the next chapter of Jacob’s life! The deceiver gets deceived, then begins a family, including twelve sons.

It’s difficult for us to understand just how important the blessing of a father was to his son in the Old Testament. To learn more about

the role of a father’s blessings in the Old Testament, check out www.lifejourneyva.com/moses!

! God _____________ Israel (vs. 29).!

! In Genesis 35 God appears to Jacob (Israel) and publicly and officially changes his name to Israel and repeats the same blessings on Israel that were given to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob and now to Israel (the new Jacob).!

! List out the names of Jacob’s 12 sons:!

Genesis 29:32-35!

1. ______________!2. ________________!

3. ______________!4. ________________!

Genesis 30:5-23!

5. ______________!6. ________________!

7. ______________!8. ________________!

9. ______________!10. _______________!

11. _____________!

Genesis 35:18!

12. _____________!

!Seeing Jesus!

!�53

Let’s spend a few minutes looking at how Esau and Jacob (then Israel) beautifully picture our life now in Christ!

Remembering back to Genesis 25:19-27, we saw that one of the peculiar elements of Esau and Jacob’s birth was that Jacob was holding on to the

heal of Esau. In essence they were one as they were born. Keeping in mind Paul’s explanation that Sarah and Isaac’s lives were allegories of our new life in Christ, when we look at Isaac’s children we may be able to keep this allegory in mind. !

! When you were physically born, your inner man and your outer man were joined together as one. This is very similar to Esau and Jacob.!

! Read Colossians 2:8-15. Paul says that at your new birth in Christ there was a separation (circumcision) of your flesh. Picture your outer man (your flesh) and your inner man (your spirit/soul) being separated.!

! Just as Esau and Jacob were separated at some point after their physical birth, at your new birth God separated your outer man from your inner man. Your outer man remains, but your inner man was, in fact, crucified and buried with Christ. Your inner man’s identity was, just as Jacob’s, deceiver and sinner. At your conversion, your old, sin-stained, inner man was removed!!

! However, just as Christ rose from the dead, you now have a new inner man that has been raised from the dead. This new you, the new inner man, has a totally new identity. The new you is no longer “deceiver,” but what? (Hint, what does Israel mean?) !

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! That’s right! You now prevail with God! This is your new identity in Christ. In Christ you now prevail with God! Like Jacob was given a new identity, in Christ we have been

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given a new identity! We are no longer “sinner” (though of course we still sin)! We are now “saints” who, in Christ, prevail with God!!

! Let’s look at one more quick thing in Israel’s life before we “Look Ahead.” Remember Israel’s 12 sons? Ten of these 12 became heads of the 12 tribes of Israel. One (Levi) became the head of the Priestly line, and Joseph’s two sons led the other two tribes. !

! The chart shows Israel’s 12 sons’ names on the left. On the right, we see the translated meanings of their Hebrew names. Here’s what I want you to consider. If Jacob becoming Israel is a picture of the old you (who was stained in sin) becoming a new you (now the righteousness of Christ), how do Israel’s sons and the you now in Christ relate?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! The 12 sons of Israel can be seen as a picture of the characteristics of you now in Christ!!

Like Reuben, look you are now a __________ of God!!

Like Simeon, you are a sheep of God who now ________ His voice.!

Like Levi, you are now ____________ to the Father through Jesus by the Spirit.!

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Visit www.lifejourneyva.com/moses and open the lesson seven link entitled “Twelve Sons of Israel.”

Like Judah, you give all ____________ to ______________ for what He has done in you.Like Dan, you have been ______________! You are clear of blame!!

Like Naphtali, God has _____________ for you and purchased you from your sin.!

Like Gad, you have nothing but __________ _______ and favor from God.!

Like Asher, you are now _____________ all the days of your life!!

Like Issachar, you now receive the _____________ due only Christ because you are now in Him.!

Like Zebulun, God has robed you with __________ and put a ring on your finger!!

Like Joseph, God has ___________ you to His family.!

Like Benjamin, in Christ you are now a ________ of God’s ________ hand!!

! What a God! He has taken all your deceptive old self and created in you a new creation with a new life that has prevailed through death, burial and resurrection—Christ Jesus Himself! !

!Looking Ahead!

!

Write out the JourneyMarker from Sunday (visit www. l i fe journeyva.com/moses i f you can’ t remember!):!

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________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! So often, though we are born again children of God, we see ourselves as “Jacob” and not as “Israel.” We see ourselves as “leg-pulling deceivers” and not “one who prevails with God.” !

! Read Ephesians 6:10 - 20. Paul is reminding us that the enemy’s schemes are to get us to not believe what the good news of Jesus says about us now in Him. Paul uses armor as an illustration to provide protection against the “fiery darts” of the enemy.!

! Paul says to put on the…!

Belt of _______________ (v. 14). The truth is Jesus has removed every last sin and given you His righteous life. You are beloved, attached, and a son of God!!

Breastplate of _________________ (v. 14). Your old sin stained heart has been replaced with a new heart created in true righteousness and holiness. Christ’s righteousness now is yours! !

Shoes of the gospel of _____________ (v.15). In order to stand firm (vs. 11, 13) we must stand on the gospel of peace- the good news that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ.!

Shield of ________________ (v. 16). Faith itself is the conduit through which God’s grace flows from Him to you. Believe in what He has made you! !

Helmet of __________________ (v. 17). The enemy wants us to think that we are less than what God has declared we are in Christ. Like a helmet protects the head, the truth of our salvation renews our minds to be able to stand firm!!

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Sword of the __________________ (v. 17), which is the word of God. What is the “word of God”? Well of all the possibilities, the word of God is definitely a word of REST. Jesus says to “come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you REST” (Matthew 11:28).!

! Believing the good news of what Jesus has done doesn’t stop the day we were saved! We are to live every day by faith and not by sight! Even though we still trip up and sin, it doesn’t change who we are in Christ!!

! Remember back to Genesis 32:25. God touched Jacob’s hip and gave him a limp the rest of his life. What a reminder of the weakness of our flesh! Paul had “thorns in his flesh” and so do we! Our flesh is weak! But it’s ok because the more we realize how weak our flesh truly is, the more we’ll realize how strong Christ is now in us! He is our hope! In Him we stand against every fiery dart of the enemy who wants us not to believe who we now are in Christ!!

! To wrap up this lesson, view the chart with the 12 characteristics of your new life in Christ. Ask God to help you truly believe that this is who you now are in Him. You’re not asking for anything more! You're simply asking for Him to reveal to you who you already are in Christ.

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8!!

Jesus as the Greater Joseph!Genesis 37, 42-46!!!

Getting Ready!

!

God’s redemptive plan, first alluded to in Genesis 3:15, has to this point in history (Genesis 37) been making its way through individuals for some 2,000

years, but all of that’s about to change! As we discovered last week, God came to Abraham’s grandson Jacob, renamed him “Israel,” and said, “a nation […] shall come from you.”!

! In Genesis 37, we find that out of Jacob’s 12 sons, Joseph is his favorite. As you might imagine, this makes Joseph’s relationship with his siblings a bit tense! As we take a brief glimpse of his life, we’ll find Joseph experiencing one hardship after another. !

! One of the greatest themes in the life of Joseph is the sovereignty (or rule) of God in every aspect of life. Do you that God can prevent evil things from happening? If so, why do you think He doesn’t?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________!

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! Before we go further into this week’s study, spend a few minutes praying that God would continue to work through life’s difficult circumstances. Pray that He will allow you to see that Jesus is our Savior and ultimate provider!!!!

Glancing Back!!! !

Take a few moments now to read Genesis 37.!!Tensions between Joseph and his brothers reach a

boiling point when Joseph shares with them his dream of ruling over them. We’ll find, though, that these aren’t ordinary dreams. Though God chose not to audibly communicate with Joseph, these dreams were of God, and they spoke volumes. !!! We find that not only is Joseph favored by his dad and hated by his brothers, but they’ve now sold him into slavery to the Midianites, who in turn sell him to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. How do you think Joseph’s relationship with God was at this point in his life? Would your perspective on life be better or worse than Joseph’s?!

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! If you were to read chapters 39-41 (which we encourage you to do!), you’d find Joseph’s life to be a roller-coaster of ups and downs. God had gifted Joseph with excellent management skills, and as a result, Potiphar had placed him in charge of everything he owned. !!! Unfortunately, Joseph also attracted the attention of Potiphar’s wife, who made repeated passes at Joseph.

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Finally, out of spite and dejection, she claimed that Joseph assaulted her. The end result? A several-year long stint in prison. !!! Just when things are improving a little, the rug is yanked from beneath Joseph. When was the last time this happened to you? !

________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! While in prison, Joseph’s divinely-granted gift of dream interpretation catches the attention of Pharaoh (the King of Egypt and ruler of the known world), who summons him for service. !!! As Pharaoh’s dreams are interpreted by Joseph, he learns that Egypt is about to undergo seven years of abundant harvest- only to be followed by seven years of famine throughout the land. As Joseph suggests a wise course of action for Pharaoh to take, Pharaoh recognizes that the Spirit of God is at work in Joseph, and Pharaoh makes him second in command over all Egypt. The young man who was once a nameless prisoner was now one of the most powerful men in the world!!!! Joseph’s story is far from over, though. Continuing through chapter 42, we find that Joseph’s family is now suffering in the midst of this famine, and the only food in the land is now under the authority of Joseph—the brother they’d sold as a slave over twenty years earlier! And not surprisingly, when they met this powerful Eqyptian who deliberately spoke to them through an interpreter, they had

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no idea they were speaking with Joseph. But he knew who they were…!!! Joseph’s brothers return home with food, with the exception of Simeon, who was to remain as an “insurance policy” until Joseph’s youngest (and only full) brother was brought to him; however, Jacob refused to risk his youngest son, and Joseph’s brothers did not return until years passed and their food ran out again, forcing them to return once more to Joseph.!

! Finally Joseph cannot bear it any longer, and in Genesis 45:1-15 we find a powerful scene of reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers who had hated him. If anyone had a right to hold a bitter grudge, it was Joseph. Is there a family member in your life that you’re with-holding forgiveness from? What would it take for you to forgive them? !________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! This epic story finds its climax in Genesis 46:2 as Jacob is told by God to relocate his entire family to Egypt. There, God would “make him into a great nation.” This grassroots beginning of a nation would have been impossible were it not for Joseph spending most of his life estranged from his family. !!

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Read Genesis 43. Can you imagine how surreal a scene this must have been for Joseph? Do you recall a time in your life where the providential hand of God was undeniably powerful in your own life?

! Read Genesis 50:15-21. What does Genesis 50:20 teach us about life, hardships, and God’s sovereignty?!______________________________________________!______________________________________________!______________________________________________!______________________________________________!

!!Seeing Jesus!!

!! !The parallels between Joseph’s life and Jesus’ life are astounding! Consider these:!!

Both were beloved by their father. !Both were set apart from those around them.!

Both were ridiculed as leaders.!Both were seekers of their brothers.!Both were obedient to their father.!Both were hated without a cause.!

Both were mocked by their brothers.!Both had their deaths plotted by their brothers.!

Both were sold out for silver.!Both became servants. !

Both were blessings to others. !Both successfully resisted temptation.!

Both were thirty when they began their ministry.!Both were exalted.!

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Both took a Gentile “bride.”!Both provided bread.!

Both “returned” from the dead.!!

! The most amazing parallel is this: Joseph became the savior of the “world” through his economic prosperity and strategic planning. He rescued those coming to him for help. Through his betrayal, suffering, and persecution, Joseph rescued Israel.!!! Likewise, as the Savior of the world, Jesus readily forgives and rescues those who are trusting Him to be their Savior. In His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus rescues spiritual Israel.!!

What men mean for evil, God means for good.!!

Looking Ahead!

!

Write out the JourneyMarker from Sunday (visit www. l i fe journeyva.com/moses i f you can’ t remember!):!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! If we’re honest with ourselves, it can be pretty hard at times to see God at work in the hard times. Other times, we can look back and see His work with with crystal clarity. When did you last see God’s hand involved in the midst of your calamity, bringing good out of it?!

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________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. It’s wonderful that God is there to comfort us, but we see also in this text that our comforting is designed to allow us to minister more effectively to others. Can you recall an issue in your life that was miserable to endure, and yet you’ve now been able to comfort others going through the same difficulty?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! Pray that God will grant you the privilege this week to minister to someone in your life. Experience how goodness can come through suffering! !

!

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To see how suffering can produce worship, visit the lesson nine links found at www.lifejourneyva/moses and watch the sermon jam “Suffering, Pain, and God.”

9!!

Jesus as the Passover Lamb!Exodus 12!!!

Getting Ready!

!

Before we jump into this last lesson of the nine, let’s remember why we even started these nine weeks. The resurrected Jesus was walking with two of his

disciples from Jerusalem to Emmaus, and along the way Jesus revealed to them everything from Moses (Genesis - Deuteronomy) through the Prophets concerning Himself. Take a minute and read Luke 24:13-35.!

! Verses 30-31 say that it Jesus’ breaking of the bread (a picture reminding them of Jesus’ work on the cross) that then opened their eyes to see Him!!

! As we start this week’s lesson, spend some time talking to God about Jesus’ work on the cross. Tell Him what you know about it. Tell Him what about it you’re unsure of! He can handle it! Even doubts! Thank Him for crushing His Son so that you’d never be crushed. Thank Him for breaking fellowship with Jesus so that He’d never break fellowship with you. Ask Him to remind you of the Price that was paid, the blood that was shed, the suffering that was endured, and His wrath that was emptied.!

!!!

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Glancing Back!

!Much time passes from when Joseph was second in command of Egypt and the focus of our lesson today in Exodus 12—Passover. So let’s briefly try to catch

up with what’s happening.!

! Read Exodus One. !

How many descendants of Jacob (Israel) moved to Egypt? (v. 5) ______________!

The people of Israel _____________________ (v. 7)!

A new king (pharaoh) came to power who didn’t know ______________ (v.8) and sought to turn the people of Israel into ________________ (v. 13).!

The king also sought to kill every male ______________ so as to control the Hebrew (Israelite) population (vs 15 - 22). But God saw to it that the people continued to __________ and grew very ____________ (v. 20).!

! Exodus two introduces the man Moses!!

! Read Exodus 2:1-10. Why does she name him Moses? (v. 10) _________________________________!

!

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Take a few moments to watch the video “ C o m m u n i o n , ” f o u n d o n l i n e a t www.lifejourneyva.com/moses. We must remember what He’s done to give us communion with Him!!

! Exodus 2:11-22 tell us of Moses’ journey from Egypt to Midian where he gets married and begins a family, but God was not through with Moses!!

! Read Exodus 2:23-25. God didn’t forget his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). He was ready to come to their rescue!!

! Exodus 3-6 gives us valuable details of how Moses gets from Midian back to Egypt and how God prepares him for His work of drawing the Israelites out of Egypt, including the burning bush!!

! God prepared Moses with several signs to show Pharaoh that God was more powerful than him. God actually hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that God could reveal even more of His power and grace towards His people. God didn’t want just one of these signs (aka plagues) and then Pharaoh release the Israelites. God wanted to reveal many signs of His power culminating in the final sign. !

Plague #1 - Exodus 7:14-25 - God turned the Nile River into __________.!

Plague #2 - Exodus 8:1-15 - God covered the land with ____________.!

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In Hebrew (the language of the Israelites), the word “moses” means “to draw out.”

The Pharaoh had free labor in the Hebrews (Israelites). He wasn’t just going to let them go!

Plague #3 - Exodus 8:16-18 - God turned every piece of dust into __________.!

Plague #4 - Exodus 8:20-32 - God brought in vast swarms of ___________ to cover all the land except _____________ (v. 22) where the Israelites lived.!

Plague #5 - Exodus 9:1-7 - God ki l led al l the _____________ of the Egyptians but not one animal of the _____________ died.!

Plague #6 - Exodus 9:8-12 - God gave __________ to men and animals. !

Plague #7 - Exodus 9:13-35 - God sent ______________ on all the land except for in Goshen.!

Plague #8 - Exodus 10:1-20 - God sent _____________ on all the land.!

Plague #9 - Exodus 10:21-29 - God sent _____________ over all the land except where the Israelites lived.!

Plague #10 - Exodus 11-13 - The _________________ of everyone in Egypt without blood on their door would die (11:5). This is the final plague. This is the one that God had planned to reveal not only his power but his grace and mercy.

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! In chapter 12 God gives specific instructions about how this is to work. Read Exodus 12 and fill in the blanks:!

This event will mark the first _____________ in their calendar (v. 2).!

The sacrificial lamb is to be without ____________ and a ________ (v. 5).!

The lambs are to be killed at __________________ (v. 6).!

The _____________ of the lambs is to be applied to the sides and top of the doors (v. 7).!

God will ____________ through the land of Egypt and will strike the first born of Egypt (v. 12). !

When God ___________ the blood on a door he will ______ _______ that house and not strike the first born of that house (v. 13).!

The Israelites were to remain in the __________ with blood on the doorpost until morning (v. 22).!

! Exodus 12:29-32 recounts the actual event of God passing through the land and killing the first born in every house that didn’t have the blood of a lamb on the door.!

! Pharaoh had enough. He released the people of Israel from slavery. They fled from Egypt having been freed by God’s work on their behalf. !

! Judgment was already carried out on the lambs and so God’s judgment passed over them.!

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Not one Israelite died that night.

Seeing Jesus!

!What a strange strange set of events. God’s people had become slaves, and God raised up Moses to lead them free from slavery, but it didn’t come without

a display of God’s might and power over all creation. The question now is, “What in the world does this teach us about Jesus?”!

! You see, Jesus was an even greater Moses (Hebrews 3). God used Moses in a powerful way to show His might over Pharaoh by delivering them from slavery in Egypt; however, even more powerful than that, God was going to send Himself, God the Son—Jesus, to earth one day to show His might over Sin and deliver people from slavery to sin.!

! That day came when God the Son entered the human race as the person Jesus. Read the Angel’s words to Joseph (Mary’s husband) in Matthew 1:21.!

“You will call His name ________________”!

! “Jesus” literally means “to save.” “Moses” means “to draw out.” But what did Jesus save us from? He will save his people from their _____________. !

! Think for a minute back to Exodus 12. Why was God’s judgment able to pass over the houses that had blood on the door?!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! What a picture of Jesus! Like the lambs of Exodus twelve, all of God’s judgment against our sin fell on God’s

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perfect sacrificial Lamb. When we trust in Jesus as our savior, then the “blood of the Lamb” is applied to the door of our heart, and God will never bring us into judgment because He already judged our sin in His Son.!

! Read John 1:29. Seeing Jesus, John the Baptist says, “Behold the ___________ of God who takes away the _____________ of the world.” Jesus is a better Moses who didn’t just free people from human slavery. Jesus has freed His people from sin, death, and Hell itself.!

! Jesus is also the better lamb who didn’t just allow God’s judgment to pass over His people one night, but Jesus’ work on the cross means that God’s judgment has forever passed over His people!!

! If you’re more of a visual learner, consider the following: on a blank sheet of paper, use a pencil, draw a door opening. Draw the right and left vertical door posts and the “lintel” or the horizontal post that sits on top of the right and left vertical door posts. Be sure to use a pencil!!

! Now, based on Exodus 12, use a red color (marker, pen, etc) to draw where the blood was applied. Moses writes that it was applied to the left door post, the right door post and on the top “lintel.” So draw some blood on the left and right and at the top. It would be ideal to put the blood in the center of the three posts. Now Exodus doesn’t tell us this, but we can imagine the blood dripping from the top “lintel” to the ground. So, if you want, you can put a couple drops on the ground under the blood from the “lintel”.!

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What saved them wasn’t the fact that they were born as Israelites. What saved them was that God saw that something else (a lamb) had already suffered judgment for that house and His judgment passed over them.

! Now, using an eraser, erase the penciled door posts leaving the four red blood marks.!

! What do you start to see? Do you see a cross?!

! Now draw the horizontal cross beam connecting the left and right blood marks where Jesus’ hands were nailed to the cross.!

! Now draw the vertical cross beam connecting the top and bottom blood marks where Jesus bloodied head was and where His feet were nailed.!

! Just as God’s judgment passed over the Israelites because of the blood of the lamb, God’s judgment has passed over anyone who believes in the work of Jesus on their behalf. This is grace!!

!Looking Ahead!

Write out the JourneyMarker from Sunday (visit www. l i fe journeyva.com/moses i f you can’ t remember!)!

________________________________________________________________________________________________!

! So much of life is lived in fear of God’s judgment. Now to be sure, whoever is not in Christ will be judged. Revelation speaks of books being opened and unbelievers will be judged forever in the Lake of Fire for everything they

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If you need help with this drawing because the directions were confusing, go to the l e s s o n n i n e l i n k s f o u n d a t www.lifejourneyva.com/moses.

have done (Revelation 20:11-15). Verse 15 says that this eternal judgment in the Lake of Fire is only for those who’s names are not found in the “Lamb’s Book of Life.” !

! The Lamb’s Book of Life included the list of all people of all nations of all generations who trusted in the promises of God. Those whose names are listed in this book will never taste judgment from God. Why? Because His righteous wrath against all this sins of those who are in the book was poured out on Jesus, the Lamb of God!!

! So, regardless of what religious, fear-based, moralistic preachers and teachers have said to try to get you to manage your sin and modify your behavior, if you are in Christ then your name is in His book, and you will never come into judgment. The wrath of God was poured out on Jesus and therefore passed over you!!

! Jesus says it plainly in John 5:24. Read that verse and answer the following questions:!

What do you have if you hear and believe? ___________!

What will believers never come into? ________________!

What has a believer passed out of? _________________!

What has a believer passed into? ___________________!

! The life we now have that Jesus mentions in John 5:24 is now His life! Our life is over! We now have His life in us living through us as we believe more and more that Jesus has fully satisfied the wrath of God against our sin!!

! Don’t live in fear of judgment. Judgment has come, and Jesus made sure that we will not enter it! We now rest in the arms of Jesus as He sits at the right hand of the Father. Jesus has completed His work of rescuing us from our slavery to sin! We now walk in His victory!

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!

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